May 23, 2024
Grey horizons for Beijing’s South China Sea strategy
Despite deploying 'grey zone' tactics such as proxy warfare and land reclamation, China's strategic efforts to bolster control of the South China Sea, notably around the Second Thomas Shoal, have yet to produce tangible results. The Philippines' strategy of publicising China's assertive actions,…
May 20, 2024
ASEAN needs stronger home-grown institutions to lock in regional unity
Despite deploying 'grey zone' tactics such as proxy warfare and land reclamation, China's strategic efforts to bolster control of the South China Sea, notably around the Second Thomas Shoal, have yet to produce tangible results. The Philippines' strategy of publicising China's assertive actions,…
May 19, 2024
Comparing Gray-Zone Tactics in the Red Sea and the South China Sea
The Houthis’ activities in the Red Sea and the Chinese actions around Second Thomas Shoal have notable similarities in tactical conduct and adversarial responses.
May 17, 2024
Insurers and shippers combat piracy in Southeast Asia
The piracy and armed robbery situation in Southeast Asia is not deteriorating, as is often reported, but is instead improving. Insurance and shipping companies have emerged as significant contributors to maritime security, alongside regional states' strengthened maritime law enforcement capacities.…
May 9, 2024
The East and South China Seas: One sea, Near seas, Whose Seas?
One Sea, Two Seas, Far Seas, Near Seas? For all the attention they receive as contested Indo-Pacific maritime regions, the strategic differences between East and South China Seas do not always get their due. Each of these bodies of water contains land features claimed by the People’s Republic of…
April 27, 2024
Time for ASEAN to stand up in the South China Sea
ASEAN has been relatively quiet about China's aggression in the South China Sea, specifically in the Second Thomas Shoal, where China has been attempting to prevent the Philippines from reaching. ASEAN must be more assertive in defending its members' interests and upholding the principles of the…
April 17, 2024
The Rising Ransomware Tide, Chinese Spy Cranes, And The Biden Executive Order On Maritime Cyber Security
In July of 2023, Japan’s largest port, Nagoya, fell victim to a lockbit ransomware attack, causing operations to grind to a halt and Toyota to suspend its import-export packaging lines. This was just one of many recent incidents within the larger marine transportation system and showcases how…
April 17, 2024
Nusantara can unlock Indonesia’s maritime potential
Following Indonesia's 2024 general election, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka have been announced as the new president and vice president. They plan to continue President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's economic and infrastructure development projects, including the relocation of the…
April 16, 2024
Call in The Coast Guard: How Maritime Law Enforcement Can Combat China’s Gray-Zone Aggression
Earlier this year, China’s Coast Guard forced a Filipino fishing boat captain and crew away from Scarborough Shoal, which the United Nations International Tribunal has established as the territory of the Philippines, demanding that they dump their catch. Indeed, China’s Coast Guard continues to use…